Cowboys and Highlanders (46 page)

“You already asked her?” She pushed him a few inches away.

“I had to.” He paused a moment. “Look Allison, I don’t want to see Train hurt either. Tell him the only reason you’re going is to visit the friends you made in town. We need time away from the ranch. Together. Alone.”

“I would like to see Marion. I’ll go, but I won’t pretend to be something I’m not. I won’t play house.” She didn’t wait for a reply. She left him in the stables.

Allison wouldn’t say anything to TJ, but her heart pounded and her hands shook. A trip to Copper City sounded wonderful. As much as she enjoyed her place at the ranch, she missed the friends she’d made at the Dusty Rose. When she’d left Boston and come to Montana, she’d proved she could take care of herself even if that had meant working on her back in the brothel. Most people, she decided, had to work for the life they wanted.

TJ tapped on her bedroom door. “Ready?”

“Yes. I’ll be down in a minute.” She’d changed into comfortable traveling clothes. Instead of wearing her hair up in a bun, she braided it down her back. She grabbed her garment bag, tossed in a change of clothes, and went to the kitchen.

Breathing deeply, Allison sucked in the delicious smells of breakfast. “You cooked?” she asked, looking over TJ’s shoulder. In a pan, he had eggs and sizzling bacon.

“Yes, and I’ve already taken the children to Betty. I realize you need time away from Sissy and Michael. I haven’t given it to you.” He slid the eggs and bacon onto a plate. “Sit down. I’m going to serve you for a change.”

Allison did as he asked, and he set her breakfast in front of her.

“Coffee?”

“Yes, thank you.”

He brought her a steaming cup. “It’s no wonder they call you mama. That’s exactly the role I put you in.” He sat across from her. “The way you’ve taken to them surprises me. A lot about you surprises me.”

“So you don’t regret hiring me?” She snapped into a crispy piece of bacon.

“I have more regrets than a man could count, but bringing you here isn’t one of them.” He glanced down then raised his gaze to hers again. “The children need you.”

She swallowed past the tightness in her throat. “Good.” She’d wanted to hear that he needed her. But some things weren’t meant to be.

After they finished eating, TJ loaded the wagon while Allison took care of the breakfast dishes. Finally, they were on their way.

The first part of the journey took place in the hour before dawn. Neither spoke much. The sound of the wagon creaking along the road seemed loud in the hollow canyon. The landscape changed after they left the open valley of the ranch. The road wound between two towering mountains. Jagged rocks protruded from the cliffs. A few had broken free and lay along the narrow path. The sun rose into the sky, and by late morning, sweat began to bead along Allison’s brow.

“You never did tell me why we’re going into town.”

TJ hesitated in answering. “Supplies,” he finally said. “There’s a clearing about a mile up the road. Are you ready for a break?”

“Yes,” she said, looking at him curiously. They continued in silence. A few minutes later, TJ pulled the rig off the worn road.

“TJ, we’ve argued an awful lot lately,” she said, taking food and water from the back of the wagon.

TJ put feedbags filled with oats over the horse’s heads. “We’ve argued since the day we met. I wasn’t exactly calm when you showed up on my ranch looking for work.”

Allison spread a blanket on the ground. “I remember. However, that wasn’t our first meeting.” She adjusted her skirts and dropped to the ground. “My heel stuck in a gap between two planks on the train platform the day I arrived in Copper City. Before I could make a spectacle of myself, you caught my fall.” She looked away from his blue eyes mirroring the Montana sky. A light breeze teased the hair on his forehead.

“I remember,” he said, smiling. “If I recall, you told me to get my hands off you.”

“Something like that, I’m sure.” She closed her eyes and turned her face to the sun.

“And if I touched you now?” he asked, moving closer and sitting next to her.

She opened her eyes. She caught a whiff of his scent—clean, woodsy. A smell that released butterflies in her belly—like the night of the fire when she buried her nose in his bed pillow. Her heart fluttered and started to race. Anticipation of his touch vibrated through her body. Tightening. Terrifying. She looked into his eyes. “I don’t want to fight anymore.”

He leaned in, and his breath fanned on her face. “I only want to fight if we can kiss and make up.”

She ground her teeth and clenched her fists. “That’s what I’m talking about,” she said, exasperated. “You’re never serious unless you’re angry. And then you explode. I want you to be open and honest with me when we’re not fighting!” On the verge of tears, she turned away. “When you’re out in the fields,” she said. “I wish you were with me at the house. But when you are there, most of the time I want you to go back out to the fields.” She paused. “I don’t enjoy our relationship.”

TJ leaned back against a tree and briefly closed his eyes. “I have a confession.” He picked up a rock and chucked it, hitting a nearby boulder. “I asked Train to stay away from you. Knowing how close you two had become made me crazy.”

Her head snapped up. “Why are you telling me this?”

“I know you love me.” TJ leaned across the blanket and gently kissed her lips.

“You’re supposed to tell me what you feel. I don’t have a problem expressing my emotions. Or verbalizing them.”

“You’re just not listening.”

“A woman wants to hear the words.”

The caress of his lips on her mouth set her aflame. Persuasive, and demanding, she moved against him as he slanted his mouth, applying pressure for her to open to him. Parting her lips, his tongue danced with hers. She tasted what she imagined when TJ was in her thoughts—the mountains, clean air, and the beauty of the ranch. Rugged and strong, and totally safe.

TJ pulled back and wrapped his hands around her neck resting his thumbs along her collarbone. “I know you care about me even if you don’t say the words.”

Moving close to her, his lips gently tugged on her ear.

“What do you feel for me?” she asked.

“I can’t stop thinking about you. I need you.” He kissed along her jaw. Her fingernails clung to his arm. He supported her back while he positioned her on the ground. Through the fabric of her blouse, he covered her breast.

He searched her face for traces of hesitation. Her fingers fumble with the bottom button of his shirt. Impatient to have her touching his flesh, he ripped the shirt from his body. She ran her hands along his stomach, tracing the trail of hair with her fingers. His muscles quivered under her touch. Bracing his upper body with his forearm, he rolled onto his side and stretched out beside her.

TJ never took his eyes off hers while he undid the buttons of her blouse. She wore a white, cotton camisole underneath. The creamy swell of her breast pressed against the fabric. He fingered the delicate lace at the neckline.

“You’re trembling.” He put his fingers where her pulse beat. Skimming lower, he brushed her nipple. Then he lowered his mouth and covered the raised peak. Wet from his tongue, the fabric clung to her skin revealing the dark, pink areola. He rolled the tight bud between his thumb and finger.

Allison sucked in a sharp inhale. Her body trembled. Her head rolled to the side as her back arched.

“Open your eyes. Watch me love you.” 

TJ pulled on the string holding the front of her camisole together. Parting the fabric, he exposed her breasts to the summer air. Her nipples tightened to hard points. “Beautiful.” He breathed in the scent of roses while he traced around the nipple. Sliding his palm beneath her breast, he lifted the full weight. Smooth and soft, he ached to explore with his mouth where his hand touched. He had to taste the silky smoothness of her skin. He drew his tongue over the swell. His body responded, his cock hard and throbbing. He gently sucked her nipple into his mouth.

Allison moaned as she arched into him.

Partially covering her body with his own, TJ buried his face in her neck. “You’re more beautiful than in my dreams.”

Allison ran her hands down his side tracing each rib beneath taut flesh. “Have you dreamed about me?” She pushed on his stomach until he rolled to his back. Her hand slid sensually over his chest, combing the springy hair with her nails.

He growled. “You’d hate me if I were to tell you the things I’ve done to you in my dreams.”

Her finger circled around his nipple. Leaning over him, she tasted him. His nipple hardened beneath her tongue just as hers had done.

Her eyes widened in surprise when TJ put his hands down the front of his trousers, taking his cock in hand and shifting it upright. Now she could clearly see the outline of his erection. Without thinking of the consequences, she traced him with her hand.

As if she had released a wild animal, he came upon her, pushing her back onto the blanket. His hand took hold of her breast as his lips claimed hers. His tongue speared into her mouth, his thigh slicing between hers as he ground his cock into her. She writhed beneath him. Straining to press her body to his; thighs, hips and chests touching.

Flames of desire arced between them. Hot, desperate, aching. Raw, gritty. Allison might be a lady, and she wanted TJ’s love. But like this, his hands mouth and body making her crazy with lust, she desperately needed to be his whore.

Joseph’s haunting words weaved into her thoughts. That this would all she would ever have. Would his passion be enough? She wrestled with her thoughts as TJ rained hot wet kisses over her body. She did love him. He had to care for her, too, didn’t he? Lord help her, did she care?

Moving from her breast, TJ ran his hand over her stomach and palmed the curve of her hip. He slipped the button at the side of her skirt from its loop. She tensed when she felt his rough hand against her bare skin.

He stopped.

“Don’t,” she whispered. “I want you to touch me.” She pulled his face to hers and kissed him openly. With boldness she didn’t know she possessed, she undid his trousers and took his erection into her trembling hand. She wrapped her fingers around the hot, solid girth. With her thumb, she touched the soft, spongy tip, smearing the slick fluid.

TJ pulled on her arm forcing her to let go. He eased her thighs apart and ground against her center. Instinctively, she wrapped her legs around him.

He braced himself above her with his arms. Putting his hand under her dress, he ripped the stitches of her underclothes.

Allison couldn’t catch her breath when he touched her intimately. His finger slid against the wet seam of her sex, then slipped deeper, sinking into her center. “Oh. Oh.” A shiver of fiery heat streaked long her spine. She snapped her thighs closed, but TJ was there keeping her legs open. A second finger slipped inside her. “TJ.” She couldn’t breathe.

“Easy.” Slowly at first, he stretched her with his finger. “There’s never been anyone else?”

“Never,” she said on a gasp.

“You’re beautiful.” He grazed his finger across her clitoris then once again, he plunged his finger deeper into her.

“TJ! Too much.” Every muscle tensed. Building pressure numbed her mind. She shook her head. Her breath came fast.

“You’re so tight. I wanted to touch you like this that day on the bluff.” He stroked her, creating a fire with friction.

“Dear heaven.” Her breath matched his rhythm. Her hips pumped, rubbing her sensitive flesh against his hand. She locked her thighs around his arm. Her body tightened. “TJ,” she whispered. Light exploded behind her closed eyes. Euphoric flashes pulsed through her body. She cried out, her body convulsing in rapturous pleasure.

As the final spasms ebbed, she relaxed, once again lying flat on the blanket on the ground. TJ shifted between her thighs, positioning the head of his cock at her entrance.

“Are you certain? There’s no going back.”

Nodding her head in understanding, she bent her knees and raised her hips to meet his.

TJ gritted his teeth and entered her body slowly. “You’re so small. I’m going to hurt you.”

“It burns.”

He pushed a fraction deeper into her.

“I’m scared.”

He brushed her lips with his. “Hold me tight.”

Hoping to shorten her discomfort and knowing he couldn’t ease the pain, with a full thrust, he buried himself. 

Gripping his shoulders, her cry echoed off the canyon walls.

“Shh. Hold still,” he whispered, kissing tears from her cheeks. After a moment, he slowly pulled out. She twisted beneath him. “Better?” he asked, filling her again.

She bit her lip and nodded. He put his hand between their bodies and found her clitoris within her soft nest of curls. Stroking it gently, he began to move. He kept her desire building with his kiss, his tongue, thrusting and possessing.

He rocked into her with a slow deep plunge, rearing back and filling her again. Her tight walls gloved to his shaft. She was so small, petite, yet full of raw, gritty passion. She locked her legs around him, raising her hips to meet his thrusts.